Missing
by InfernaLux
Summary: After the Sinnoh league is over, Ash returns home for a well-needed break, and to catch up with his mom. But as he heads back, he reminisces on his recent adventures... "And that's when I realized. Something was missing: You." Pearlshipping.
1. Epiphany

**Missing**

**Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that this is my first fanfic, and it would be really nice if you, you know, _read_ it? I guess you wouldn't have clicked this link if you _didn't_ want to read it. (My bad, hehe.) Anyway... back to me. I have been a Pearlshipper for quite sometime (and for _sometime_, I mean about a couple of years), but was too lazy to make his own fanfics. So here is the first product of my unwanted, and unneeded, procrastination. Oh, and please notify me of any mistakes. **

**I'm guessing I have to do this now, don't I? Very well... Disclaimer: I [sadly] do not own Pokemon, but that would be so totally awesome though. All rights go to their respectful owner_s. _**

**And now, on with the chapter!  


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Chapter One: Epiphany

"_I guess this is goodbye..."  
_

"_I guess it is."  
_

_I was face-to-face with a blue-haired coordinator, Dawn. Tears were streaming through her cheeks, staining her beautiful face. Wait—did I really just say that? She was trying to hide her eyes, but it was no use. Tears were running from her eyes regardless. I had to stay strong... for Dawn's sake. It wasn't everyday that you say goodbye to your best friend. I let that sink in. _Only_ her best friend?_

I tried not meeting her eyes. But I gotta tell you, it's kinda hard for me. For some reason I can't seem to stop staring at those beautiful, sapphire eyes... 

"_I really wish you could come with me," I said sadly. I _really_ wanted her to travel with me, but I guess nothing lasts. __  
_

"_I wish I could too," Dawn said back, her voice quivering a bit. "But since Buneary and that deal... I couldn't just come with you and leave Buneary behind. A trainer always has to look after her Pokemon." _

_Tears were coming down my eyes as well. "I know we will see each other again. And when we cross paths again, we'll have a battle!"_

_Tears were maybe still running down my face, but I was anything but sad. If they could, Dawn's eyes saddened even more._

"_Sure, Ash..." she said sadly.  
_

_The ferry blew its horn signalling the passengers that it was time to board. I looked at Dawn one last time. She did something that surprised me. She hugged me. It felt nice and warm and intimate, but because of this, it felt like I was never gonna see her again. I released from the hug and embarked. I fought back the tears but it was no use; the tears kept falling. _

_I didn't look back, for if I did, I might not leave. And it was painful to watch. I boarded the ferry and it set sail. Once I was on the ferry, there was no way I could have gotten off. And once I knew that I couldn't leave the ferry, I ran to the stern of the ferry, where I saw Dawn looking. She was hugging Piplup, her penguin-like starter Pokemon. She was crying. I did the only thing I could do at that point—yell her catchphrase one last time. "No need to worry! Dawn, we'll meet up again... someday!"_

_Her eyes shined. Despite her tears, she smiled. "Bye, Ash! I _know_ we will meet up again!"_

_And that was enough to put a smile on my face... for now._

I was leaning on the railing of the bow of the ferry. The wind blew against my face. It was just peaceful. I waited a few more minutes and then I saw it: the Kanto Region—the place where I grew up, and the place that started it all. I knew I should be happier about this. But for some reason, I feel down. Naturally, I shook it off. No big deal, right?

Anyway, I was by myself this time. Brock left Sinnoh about a week earlier than me, due to his new ambition of being a Pokemon doctor. I'm happy for him. He'd make a great doctor! And Dawn? She decided to stay in Sinnoh. Her Buneary was offered some deal. I couldn't remember what it was but she had to stay with her Pokemon. And again, there was that sadness.

A few minutes later we docked and I disembarked. I looked around me, readapting to my surroundings. Home sweet home. I saw Pidgey and their two evolutions—Pidgeotto and Pidgeot—flying and soaring through the air gracefully. And aside from the Pokemon, the scenery was just awesome. I wish Dawn were here to see this. And there it was again. The feeling—the same sadness—kept on returning. What's wrong with me lately?

Pikachu couldn't hold his excitement anymore. He jumped off my shoulder and headed towards Pallet Town.

"Race ya Pikachu!" I said as I started after him.

"Pika!" he agreed.

We kept this going until we were at my front door. I would've won, too, if it weren't for Pikachu using his Quick Attack every time I caught up to him. Just as it looked like I was going to surpass him, he would regain the lead. Needless to say, we were both exhausted.

After Pikachu and I were breathing normally again, I knocked on the front door.

"Coming," I heard my mom say.

Once she opened the door she said, "Ash? Is that you?" Even though I was standing right there, it looked like she didn't know me. I guess it's because I've gotten taller (maybe), or maybe it was the fact that we haven't seen each other face-to-face in a while.

Her face was a mix of happy, shock, and surprise. Once she got over that—and she got over it pretty quickly—she had me in a bear hug (or would it be an Ursaring hug?).

"M-mom..." I struggled to say. "Can't—can't breath! Glad to... Glad to see you too!"

She let go and I inhaled a satisfying breath.

"Sorry dear," my Mom apologized. "I guess I was just a little excited in seeing you again."

I smiled. "A _little_ excited? Anyway, no need to worry, Mom! I'm happy to see you again." There was a little pang when I had said "No need to worry". But I couldn't worry about that right now (ironic, isn't it?).

She perked up. "I want to hear all about your adventures in Sinnoh. Come inside and tell me everything—and I mean everything! Oh, and I made your favourite—spaghetti!"

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Once I was done, I let out a satisfying sigh. I told her everything: from catching Starly—my first caught Pokemon in Sinnoh—to the Lily Of The Valley Conference. I also told her that it was an amazing experience. Furthermore, I talked about my rivals and the new friends I made. She didn't look all that surprise when I told her Pikachu fried Dawn's bike; in fact she laughed. I guess the bike thing was old news. I had fried Misty's _and_ May's bikes prior to meeting Dawn. My Mom told me that it was looking like a tradition. I also told her that Brock was there. Everything I talked about, it seemed that Dawn was somehow included. And when I talked about Dawn again, I was blushing. I hoped my Mom didn't noticed.

"Wow, Ash," my Mom said as I finished. "That must have been a journey for the history books. And it sounded like you had a blot of fun, too!" 

"Thanks Mom." I said halfheartedly. She must have sensed my sadness but luckily, she didn't say anything.

"So, what happened to that girl you were travelling with?" my Mom asked. "What was her name again... Dawn! That was it. What happened to Dawn?"

"She decided to stay in Sinnoh," I answered. "And for some reason, I felt sad when she decided stay. And it hurt a little too. It would be kind of like me losing a gym battle... or losing Pikachu. Maybe a little more hurtful than that."

I felt my face heat up. Then I saw my Mom smiling. What could that mean?

"Tell me this," my Mom started. "Ever since you left for Kanto, was Dawn all you could think about?"

The heat and the redness returned to my face. I knew at this point that my Mom knew. So to counter my Mom, I said something really intelligent like, "Uh..."

She kept her smile. "And tell me this, too. Did you ever feel this way when Misty or May left to go on their separate paths?"

My face was still red. But that didn't keep me from my thoughts. And now that I think about it—and I mean _really_ hard—no. I don't think I felt this way when Misty or May left to go on their own.

"Why am I feeling like this, Mom?" I asked because I was completely clueless.

Her smile returned to her face. She looked at a really old picture—like one that was taken when I was still just a baby. She looked back at me and said, "Because this was exactly how I felt when I met your father."

"Why am I feeling this way, Mom?" I asked, a bit agitated. I _hated_ not knowing. It makes me feel...(not _one_ word)... kinda dense.

She laughed softly. "You were always dense like your are so much like you father... But back to matter. It's called love, sweetie."

She kissed my forehead and walked off to the kitchen—probably to clean the dishes.

And that's when it clicked for me. I knew that there was a special bound between us, me and Dawn. I remembered all those times I had with Dawn, all those times I blushed because of her, and all those times I felt a need to impress her, but didn't know why. Now I do.

I smiled. I thought came up in my mind. It was me and Dawn sitting down, leaning against a tree, and we were holding hands. Her head lay just on the crook of my neck. It was peaceful. That and our past adventures were replaying in my mind. And aside from my first thought, I had a very particular memory. It was when we travelled to Alamos Town. And even though we were almost trapped in a dimension of which was created by Palkia, ruler of space, I remembered when we held hands—even though Dawn was about to fall to her doom and the only way to save her _was_ to hold hands. Still, it's a moment in my life that I will _never_ forget.

And where were these precious memories leading me? An epiphany. I was in love with Dawn.

I knew what I had to do next. I got off the couch and headed for the door. I yelled, "Mom, I'm going back to Sinnoh! There's something I need to do. I don't know when I'll be back. Come on Pikachu!"

I looked back and saw Pikachu running towards me. I also looked back at my Mom. She was smiling. Instinctively, I smiled back. I was about to run when I abruptly stopped. I walked to the door and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, and love you. Bye!"

"Let's go Pikachu!" I said and we both started to run.

"Pika!"

I'm coming Dawn.

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**A/N: And there you have it. The first chapter. I hoped you enjoyed it. If you want me to update, telling me to continue, then I will as soon as I can. And a review would be awesome. A first positive review tells me that I should continue on. And tell me what I need to improve on. It makes me a better writer. So please R&R!**


	2. Filling The Void

**Missing**

**Hey! I'm back! I'm so glad you guys are taking interest in my fic. And don't you just _love_ school (Note the sarcasm)? I couldn't update because of school. Well, enough of excuses. I'd like to point out a couple of things: like the fact I might spell things differently. It's because I'm Canadian. So, if you see words like _favourite_, it's because of the fact I'm from Canada. It's the same as _favorite_, just an extra letter added. Oh, another heads up: This story is going to be a short one. Only 4 chapters.**

Am I gonna have to do this for every chapter? Ugh, very well. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this chapter, or any of the others. All the rights are go to their respected owners.  
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Story Time! **

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Chapter Two: Filling The Void

I ran. I ran as fast as I could. Faster than when I went to Professor Oak's lave to receive my first Pokemon. I was panting, but I wasn't going to let tiredness get the better of me. Nothing was going to stop me. My only thought was of Dawn.

I ran for a few more minutes nonstop and saw the Viridian Docks. I made my way to the ticketing office. Once I saw the female employee working the counter, I asked, "When is the next ferry to Sinnoh?"

"Hang on, I'll check," the clerk replied. She checked her computer and said, "You're in luck. There's one more heading to Sinnoh. But you better hurry. It leaves in a few minutes."

I asked for a ticked and boarded the ferry. Just as I boarded, the ferry's propellers were turned on and we were on our way.

I was at the bow of the ship, thinking about Dawn. I decided on how to approach her, how to saw that I loved her. After what seemed like hours, I _still_ couldn't think of a way. I replayed countless scenarios, but none of them seemed good enough. I paced back and forth, thinking—_hard_. At one point I thought I had it, but it was just like the rest of them: cheesy and cliche. I stomped my feet in frustration. At that point, I had made up my mind. I was just going to wing it. I'll cross the bridge when I get there... you get the idea.

Pikachu sighed sadly.

"Hey Pikachu, what's wrong?" I asked with concern in my voice.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu said. If only I could understand him...

"_Pika!_" Pikachu insisted.

If Pokemon could blush, my starter sure did. Then slowly, I caught on. "_Oh..." _I said as I smirked.

"Pika?"

"You miss Buneary, don't you?" I kept my smirk.

Pikachu stayed silent. He wouldn't meet my eyes, and I'm sure he was still blushing. I laughed at that.

"No need to worry, Pikachu," I said reassuringly. "We'll meet up with them soon enough."

We stayed in silence after that. Once again I replayed my possible reunions. But even in my head, I still had doubt. What if she didn't like me back? This trip would've been for nothing! And what if this ruined our friendship? I can't risk that! But now there's no time for things like that. Whatever happens, happens. And what _does _happen is for the best... I hope. And that's all I could do at this point—hope. Hope that she somehow likes me too.

I looked at the horizon. It was midday. I need to clear my mind the calming breeze always seemed to do just that. It almost felt like I was relaxing. Almost.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky when we had reached the coast of the Hoenn Region. I walked to the port side of the ferry, looking at the magnificent landscape of Hoenn. It was just as awesome looking as Kanto. I saw flying Pokemon in the skies up ahead, and it all just seemed right.

"Hey Pikachu, do you remember the Hoenn Region?" I turned to my little yellow friend.

"Pika!" he agreed.

Those were good times, when I was travelling with Brock, May, and her little brother, Max. I still had the ribbon Sceptile cut in half when May and I tied in the Terracotta Contest. When we met up with May in the Wallace Cup, she said that that ribbon served her as a good luck charm. Hopefully it'll serve me as one, too. I took it out and studied it. _Dawn..._

Everything just seemed so peaceful. The warm, gentle zephyr blowing. The sun radiantly shining us a warm and friendly smile. And it stayed that way...

That was until I heard the sounds of a battle. The vibrations of the battle could be felt on the ferry. I had to hold onto the railing so I could keep my balance. And I thought that a battle wasn't going to harm anyone. And then another thing occurred to me. Even my Pokemon in a battle wouldn't be able to cause this much vibrations. And then I saw the combatants: Groundon and Kyogre.

I ran to the port side of the boat. I witnessed in awe as the creators of land and sea were in an engaging conflict. Their battle attracted a lot of attention as many people had started to gather to watch the monumental battle. Despite the danger it poises, it doesn't seem like they weren't hurting their surroundings... That was what I thought until Kyogre dodged and I saw a Fire Blast headed straight for me.

I took a Poke Ball out of my belt, threw it, and out came an orange weasel known as Buizel.

"Buizel, use Water Gun, and quick!" I commanded.

Buizel nodded its head and shot out a stream of water with a "Buuuuuuuuiiiiiii!"

The two attacks collided and I thought we had it. I soon realized that Buizel was losing strength and the Fire Blast quickly overpowered the Water Gun. The Fire Blast hit Buizel and knocked him on the ground.

I ran up to him saying, "Buizel, are ya alright?"

Buizel nodded. I nodded back. "Return, and have a good rest."

I saw another Fire Blast hit the port side of the ferry. The flames were quickly devouring the ship. When about a quarter of the ship was engulfed with the flames, I heard the speakers say, "Attention passengers. It seems that the ferry will soon sink. I advise you to remain calm and head for the lifeboats on either side of the ship."

The passengers were scrambling onto the lifeboats. I was heading for one on the starboard side when I saw that there were non left. I ran to the port side hoping that the flames hadn't devoured that too. With a stroke of luck I saw one—probably the last one. I climbed on board and released the ropes. We hit the water with a splash.

_'Phew,'_ I thought. '_Glad that's over.'_ I let out a sigh of relief.

I saw the flames consume what was left of the ferry. And once it gave in to the flames, it capsized and sank.

The danger was over... or so I thought. Another Fire Blast was headed in my direction. I saw Pikachu holding on to dear life on my shoulder. I couldn't use Buizel again. He got hit—_hard_. I had to do something. I held onto Pikachu in a protective embrace. My eyes were closed tight and I gritted my teeth.

I'm sorry Mom, but I won't be coming back. You were right... about everything. I was in love.

_'And Dawn,'_ I thought. _'My last thoughts are of you. And I know you can't hear this but, _I love you._'  
_

I braced for impact. I then heard the steady beat of wings flapping. I didn't have time to register whose it was, though. Just before I blacked out, I remembered screaming.

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**And that's the end of the second chapter. And for those who don't know, on a boat, the starboard side is the right, the port side is the left, the bow is the front, and the stern is the back. I love _and _hate cliffhangers. I love that it gives suspense to the reader, and I hate that you never know when the next update will be. I don't even know. I didn't say this in the first chapter, but flames and/or negative comments will be properly respected. Sticks and stones—remember that. Anyway, Read and Review!**


	3. Determined

**Missing**

**Hey, I'm back! Sorry for the delay. I don't want to bore you with excuses, so I won't. But if you must know, it's because of school. Stupid homework... Anyway, I really didn't expect a lot of people to like this story. So this is the third chapter of _Missing_. In my opinion, this is my favourite chapter so far (you know, not much of a choice seeing as this story will be 4 chapters long).**

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Chino23: I'm glad you're taking an interest to this story. And to answer your question as to why the ferry was heading to Hoenn is this: The boat wasn't going to dock in Hoenn. The boat was just sailing by. And to answer your other question, I needed something to happen to Ash. I didn't just want it to be a _happily ever after_ kind of story. That would be too cliche and rather boring. So I wanted something happening in this story so it wouldn't be boring. And I chose Groudon and Kyogre b/c they were in Hoenn and I wanted something that could destroy the boat. No better pair than the Creators of Land and Sea, since they have been battling for a while. Hope that answers your questions and I hope that it cleared anything that was vague and unclear.

**Now, enough of my babbling. On with the Chapter!**

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Chapter Three: Determined

I woke up to the pain in my body. I winced as I tried to sit up. I struggled to do so, but I managed. Almost every part of my body hurt, and there were bandages covering them. My head hurt as well, and there were bandages wrapped around it, too.

Then I realized: where am I?

I didn't have time to worry about that now. And in a moment of panic, I looked around for Pikachu. And there I saw him resting on another bed with bandages similar to what I had on.

I looked at my surroundings: there were a couple of beds, minus the ones Pikachu and I were using, and there were a lot of medical supplies everywhere.

Then I heard a voice: "So, the sleeper finally wakes." I know that voice! I could recognize that voice anywhere.

On the doorway, I saw May leaning on the doorway with her arms crossed. She looked exactly the same when I last saw her. She smiled, but looks can be deceiving. I took one look in her eyes, and I knew she was worried about me. I smiled back. It was good to see her again.

"Hey, May," I said dryly. "It's nice to see you again."

She dropped her smile and said, "I wish I could say the same for you. I mean, what were you doing in a lifeboat anyway?"

I looked at her with clueless eyes. "You want the long story, or short?" I asked without thinking. Yeah, I tend to do stuff like that.

I studied her face. It was a mixture of anger and happiness, like she was happy to see me, but mad seeing me like this, in my condition. But despite that, she giggled. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Short would be fine," May said as she took a seat next to my bed.

"The reason I was on a lifeboat was because I was on my way to Sinnoh when we got hit by a Fire Blast," I started. "We had to evacuate. And that's how I ended up in a lifeboat."

May nodded in understanding. Then her face lit up, like she just realized something. "And why were you heading to Sinnoh? I thought you already competed in the league."

I laughed in embarrassment. I also blushed and I think May noticed. "I was heading there because..." I scratched the back of my head nervously. "...because I like—"

"Because you like Dawn?" she guessed. Wait—how did _she_ know that?

"How did—"

She laughed. A kind of laugh that could have said, _oh, I know_, but at the same time didn't mean to make me embarrassed. "When I came to compete in the Wallace Cup," May explained, "and I saw you and Dawn, I just thought you two looked cute together. And even with my short time visiting you guys, I saw a deep bond between you two—one that could never be broken, even if you guys were apart. And you blushing every time as so much as just _mentioning _her name was a dead giveaway."

I sure hoped I wasn't blushing, but I doubt it. I had one word to say: "Oh."

"On a different subject," I started, anxious to get away from what was just mentioned. "I have two questions. One: where am I? And two: how did I get here?"

"You're in the Slateport Hospital and Pokemon Center," May responded. "And as to how you got here... Well, just look out the window."

There was a window opposite to where I was sitting. I did as she said and  
saw an orange dragon with an ever-burning flame glowing on his tail. I blinked. "Charizard?"

I turned my attention back to May and she nodded. "While I was on my date, I heard a comotion and ran out to see what it was. I saw Groudon and Kyogre fighting. I thought to myself that nothing's really going to happen so I went back to the restaurant."

I was paying a lot of attention to May while she talked. My eyes never left hers during her story.

She continued: "I was on my way back when I heard screaming and saw you on what was left of your lifeboat, badly scorched. I was about to help you when I saw a shadow fly over me."

"Was it Charizard?" I asked.

She nodded. "It was Charizard, and he somehow knew you were in trouble and fished you out of the water. He carried you and Pikachu over to me. He obviously recognized me."

"Thanks for helping me out, May," I said gratefully. Then a thought crossed my mind. "You were on a date? You mean with Drew?"

It was May's turn to blush. She quickly looked away, trying to hide it, but I saw. "How did _you _know?" she asked.

I smiled and chuckled. "Let's just say I'm not as dense as everyone may think."

She looked at me suspiciously. She had her hands crossed. "Brock told you, didn't he?"

I laughed nervously. She stared daggers. I looked away, hoping that she wasn't staring at me anymore. I looked back. _Glare._ "Okay!" I raised my arms in surrender. "Brock _did_ tell me, okay?"

May muttered, probably to herself, "When I meet up with that lovestruck breeder, I'll..."

Then she saw me looking at her. My expression probably said, _Huh? _

"But I _did _see the signs—"

May looked at me again—another stare, another _glare_.

"—that Brock told me," I finished. May looked satisfied.

There was silence for a bit before I broke it. "And Drew giving you red roses? Totally obvious! So obvious that even _I_ figured it out. And Brock didn't help me with that one. You really didn't think they were actually for Beautifly, did you?"

May kept her blush and still didn't say anything. I smirked. "Come on May! I was just teasin' ya!"

Despite my teasing her, she smiled.

"Thanks again for saving me," I said.

"It was no problem," May said back. "You would've done the same thing for any of your friends."

Then I said something that surprised her. "Now, help me up."

Her eyes widened. "But you can't! You're still too weak!"

I looked at May with serious but pleading eyes. "Please May? _Please_?"

Despite her protests, I got up, though I struggled. She was hesitant in helping at first, but when I found myself getting weaker and weaker, she couldn't have said no. I managed a weak smile. "Thanks, May."

She nodded. I put my left arm over her neck and she supported me while we walked. We slowly, and painfully, made our way to Pikachu, who was sound asleep. I put him on my shoulder and we headed out the door and into the lobby of the hospital/Pokemon Center where we saw Drew sitting on one of the chairs.

"Hey Ash," Drew said worriedly. "How are you?"

"I've been better," I answered.

Drew must have noticed that May was having a hard time supporting me so he helped out, too. Drew took my other arm and put it over his neck and now both of them were helping me.

"Bring me outside," I said weakly. The two nodded and we made our way out of the doors of the center where I saw a concerned Charizard.

I let go of both of them and walked towards me Pokemon with some amount of difficulty. By the time I reached Charizard, I was sweating. "Hey Charizard," I said while softly rubbing his neck.

He made a grunting noise. But I did hear a little worry in his voice.

"You're worried about me, aren't you?"

Charizard made another grunting noise. I could only guess that he meant _yes_.

"Were you the one that save me? Thanks buddy."

My orange dragon nodded.

I suddenly had an idea. "Hey Charizard, can you fly me to Sinnoh?"

Drew and May behind me gasped. "You're not really serious about this, are you Ash?" Drew asked.

I could only nod. "I am."

"But why?" May asked pleadingly. Her voice was full of worry. Only natural for friends like mine.

I had only one thing to say: "Dawn."

I mounted on Charizard with surprisingly little difficulty and waved goodbye to my friends. Charizard flapped his wings and took off. Pikachu awoke and instantly gripped onto my shoulder. Then a thought crossed my mind. "Oh, and sorry if I ruined your date!" I yelled through the wind.

I didn't know if they heard me but the both blushed and wave, so I'm assuming that they did.

"Charizard, just head east!" I said. "And full steam ahead!"

I smiled. My only thought was of Dawn now.

Nothing was going to stop me. _Nothing_.

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**Now you know who had saved Ash. I know that it was very unlikely that Charizard be the one to save him, but he's one of my favourite Pokemon, and I just _had _to add him to the story. Next chapter will be the last. But I was thinking of doing continuing this story in Dawn's POV-another 4 chapters. Basically, it's starting from the beginning of this story, but in Dawn's POV rather than Ash's. Tell me what you think. Please read and review! And Negative comments will be respected.**

**Until next time...**

Lux 


	4. Anything For You

**Missing**

**I'm super sorry for the long wait. I'm not going to make you wait anymore by giving you excuses, so I won't. I didn't realize that a lot of people actually _like_ this story. This is just my first, so expect more to come!**

Disclaimer: I don't, and will not, own Pokemon. All the rights go to their respectful owners. 

**So, on with the chapter!**

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Chapter Four: Anything For You

I woke up with a smile on my face. I was finally going to meet up with Dawn again. I certainly couldn't wait.

We soared through the sky with wind blowing my unruly raven-black hair. It felt great. The sun was out, radiantly smiling its warm smile on the world below.

We were flying for another few minutes until I saw land. I definitely recognized it: the Sinnoh Region—Dawn's home region. I recognized the Starly and all the other Sinnoh-native Pokemon.

"Here Charizard," I said. "Land here."

I looked at Charizard worryingly. He seemed a bit tired; but he also looked a little relieved.

He folded his wings and we went into a nosedive. We were going so fast that I thought we were going to crash. But Charizard seemed to know what he was doing because he extended his wings and our descent slowed. As we got closer to the ground, Charizard repeatedly flapped his wings, creating wind underneath. We landed with a light thud.

I dismounted with Pikachu following my example. I noticed a lake. I also felt a presence and saw what looked to be a shadow of a Pokemon. Then a flashback occurred: I remembered feeling something like this in Lake Valor and saw a shadow. But this shadow was different. I remembered Dawn mentioning seeing Mesprit. I'd seen pictures of it and I'm positive—the shadow looked exactly like the Being of Emotions. I realized that this must be Lake Verity. I also realized with a start that if this was indeed Lake Verity, then Twinleaf Town must be nearby.

I looked at Charizard and said, "You could go back to the Charicific Valley if you want to."

I was a little surprised at his response. He shook his head.

He never gets to visit me, I realized. "You want to stay, don't you Charizard?" I asked.

He grunted and nodded his head. I couldn't help but smile. We started towards Twinleaf.

As I walked, I was grasping my stomach and was panting. The pain lessened, but that didn't mean that it still hurt—which it did. By the time I could see a clearing, my breathing was uneven and sweat rolled down my face.

Pikachu and Charizard were walking on either side of me, both with worried eyes. I suppressed a smile and said, "No need to worry, right?"

"Pikachu.." my electric mouse said sadly.

I was about to explain the meaning behind Dawn's catchphrase when I heard voices. There were four and I definitely knew the voices. It was Dawn's and Team Rocket's.

She looked exactly the same: beautiful. Her fists were clenched, her eyes were wild—like she just wanted to punch the living daylights out of Team Rocket, and she had her teeth clenched. Beautiful.

Despite the situation, I smiled. It was _really_ good to see her again. I could have stared at her all day if it wasn't for Team Rocket. Why do they always ruin my moments?

"What do you want now?" Dawn yelled to Team Rocket, who was on their Meowth-shaped balloon.

"Same as always." Meowth smirked. "We want your Pokemon!"

And with that, the cat-like Pokemon pushed a red button and two mechanical arms spouted from the bottom of the basket. I watched in horror as one grabbed Dawn, and the other grabbing Piplup, who was standing next to her.

"Pip, Piplup!" the blue penguin Pokemon cried in desperation.

Dawn and Piplup were struggling to break free. I had to do something! I then noticed Dawn wriggling her arm. Only later did I realize that she was trying to get one of her Poke Balls.

"Aha!" Dawn beamed and released the Pokemon inside. In a flash of light, the Flying Type, Togekiss, appeared.

"Togekiss!" the Flying Type sang.

"Togekiss!" Dawn said urgently. "I need you to use Sky—"

Before Dawn could finish her statement, I had Charizard use his Steel Wing on the arm that was holding Dawn. Both her and Team Rocket were surprised by the sudden event. And soon Dawn's shock was turned to sheer fear as she began to plummet toward the earth.

"Hang on, Dawn!" I yelled. I didn't know if she had heard me. She was probably too busy screaming to acknowledge me. Yeah, kinda hard to do that when you're falling out of the sky.

"Ash!" Dawn screamed. If she didn't know I was here, then why would she be screaming my name? I didn't have long to ponder this because... well, because Dawn was falling.

I ran as fast as I could. It didn't help that I was still injured. But that didn't stop me. My friends and Pokemon had helped me to get this far. I wasn't going to let a little pain get me.

In a flash I was out in the clearing and running towards Dawn.

It seemed, that in the next few moments, everything was in slow motion. Dread, I guess.

"Dawn!" I yelled once more. She was nearing the ground, and this was not good.

Her eyes were shut tight. If they were open, I would've saw fear—complete terror would've filled her eyes.

"Ash!" Dawn called once more. Again, why would she call my name if her eyes were closed and couldn't see a single thing? I didn't know. All the more reason to save her—to ask why that was.

I caught her, and her eyes were still shut. She was gripping onto me—_tight_.

"It's okay, Dawn," I said softly. "I'm here now."

I then turned my attention to Team Rocket. I shot daggers at them—the same stare that May had given me back at Hoenn. A look that surprised me as much as the wannabe thieves. I must've looked deadly, because Team Rocket looked nervous all of a sudden. I put Dawn down on the grass.

"Charizard, use Flame—" I hesitated. At the last second, I saw Piplup still struggling to get free. And it looked like the mechanical hand was squeezing him harder. I knew what to do.

"Charizard, use Steel Wing once more!" I commanded.

Charizard complied. Its wings began to glow and struck the other arm. Piplup was happy to be free, but then realized that it was about to fall and tried to stay afloat by frantically flapping his wings. It was no use, though. Charizard caught him and put him next to Dawn. I mentally slapped myself. I could've just let Charizard catch Dawn.

That didn't matter anymore. Dawn and Piplup were safe—and that's all that matters.

Team Rocket gulped. They were scared out of their wits. Good.

"Charizard, Pikachu, let's finish this," I said calmly but sternly. "Charizard, use Flamethrower! Pikachu, you use Thunder Bolt! Now, max power!"

"Char!"

"Pika!"

Charizard had unleashed his Flamethrower and it was aimed directly at the balloon. The Thunder Bolt Pikachu unleashed was following right behind the Fire Type move. The contact resulted in a huge explosion. And the last I heard of Team Rocket was them yelling, "We're blasting off again!"

I turned back to Dawn. She was smiling, and I saw those beautiful sapphire eyes that I so desperately wanted to see. She stepped forward.

I didn't know what surprised me more: Dawn hugging me, or the fact that I had tears in my eyes.

I happily returned the embrace. It was so good to see her again.

We made eye contact. "Dawn," I whispered.

"Ash," she whispered back.

She let go. She then said, "What are doing here? It's not like I want you to be here. It's just—what are you doing here? I thought you'd be heading off to the next region qualifying for the league or something."

"To be honest Dawn," I started, "I came here to see you."

"Really?" Dawn perked up.

"Wait," Dawn noticed. "Why would you come all the way to Sinnoh, _from Kanto_, just to see me?"

I hesitated. That was a good question. I said the first thing in my head, which was: "I promised you I'd come back to see you, didn't I?"

Dawn seemed to accept my answer, which was good. But it made me feel down. And unless I was hallucinating or something, Dawn was too.

I couldn't take it. I took a deep breath, then said, "Okay Dawn. Do you really want to know the reason?"

Dawn's eyes gleamed. She looked a little happier. "And what would that be?"

I took her by the hands—which was okay by me, and surprisingly, it seemed to be okay with her.

"The reason why I came back here was..." I started. "Was to—"

Dawn looked confused. "Was to...?"

I gulped. I made a split-second decision to say something else. I decided to just say it.

"I-I like you Dawn... but more than a friend! I know you can never like anyone like me. It's just your so-so beautiful and kind and nice and... and—"

I was stopped by Dawn's lips pressing against mine. Hey, not that I objected or anything. It was a shocker, is all.

She let go and she was smiling from ear to ear. And let's just say I was doing the same thing.

"Wow..." we whispered at the same time.

Silence.

"W-why did y-you..." I stammered. "W-why did you do that?"

She smiled and giggled. I think I also saw a small tint of pink on her cheeks. "Because," she began, "you were babbling, and I wanted you to stop... And because I like you, too."

No other moment would've even compared to this one. It would be like if I won a league—no, even better than that. I couldn't think of any, and I was pretty sure I couldn't.

They say actions speak louder than words. I never understood that—until now. I kissed her, and she kissed back.

I was faintly aware that Pikachu and Charizard were watching me. But hey—I didn't mind.

She let go, I winced a bit, and for the first time, she noticed Charizard.

She also noticed I was wearing bandages. She then proceeded in asking me questions. "Why are you hurt? And when did you get a Charizard?"

I remembered May asking me what I was doing in a lifeboat and I answered her with a "Long story, or short?" option. Yeah, I said it again.

"Long story, or short?"

Dawn giggled. She said, "Short would be fine."

"Before I start, I have one question."

"Go for it."

"Where's Buneary?"

"Huh?"

"Just send her out. I have a feeling she wants to meet someone." I winked.

"Oh," Dawn said, catching my drift. "Come on out!"

Dawn threw her Poke Ball and out came the bunny Pokemon known as Buneary.

"Buneary, bun!" the rabbit Pokemon stretched. She looked around and immediately saw Pikachu. Pikachu said something, ran, and Buneary was following him.

"Aw, love," Dawn said.

Pikachu stopped, then waited for Buneary to catch up. She did, and they ran off towards the forest.

"Hey Pikachu, don't stay—" Dawn stopped me.

"Just let them have their fun," Dawn stated.

I nodded. We walked hand in hand and started towards Arceus-knows-where. Charizard was following us—from a respectful distance, of course.

I faced Dawn. "You know, Dawn," I said, "there was always something that I felt was missing. Right after we parted ways, I felt like there was a void in my heart, and I didn't know who could—who would have filled it. But I didn't know that you were the one to fill it... Until now. When I went back home, it was my mom who told me what I was feeling. It was right then and there. And that's when I realized. Something _was_ missing: _you_."

* * *

**And there you have it: the conclusion of _Missing_! I really hoped you liked it! And I really hoped you like my ending. I added the lagomorphshipping ****(I hope I spelled that correctly) for all those who are fans. I decided to not do this in Dawn's POV because you guys might wait for a long time, and I don't want to do that. I have been working on a new story. Here's a little preview:**

Everything was calm. A nice, serene place in the Orange Islands. Clear blue skies watched over the islands. A warm, light breeze blew from the west. Flowers blooming and blowing in sync with the zephyr; the calmness also shared with the Pokemon. But the stillness and the calmness was short-lived.

. . . A new prophecy had just been predicted. And judging from the text, and the awestruck look residing on his face, this prophecy would not have a happy ending . . .

**. . . The world need help. The world needed a Chosen One. The world needed _him_ . . .**

Just note that this is just a preview, and this new story is going to be _way_ longer. I'm hoping for a big story, and you guys are the support I need to make this happen. So, tell me what you think of the my preview . . . and of course this story, _Missing_! 

**And look out for this new story: _Rising Hero_! This is a PearlShipping story, of course!  
**

**Please Read and Review!**

Until next time!

~Lux out. 


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